Connector for non-metallic sheathed cable

Abstract

A connector for connecting non-metallic sheathed cable of both the round and oval types to electrical boxes in which the connector is of all plastic, one piece construction, free of clamps and screwing, and comprises a ring shaped segmented body defining a collet like cable gripping portion comprising a plurality of pairs of opposed resilient jaws in which the jaws each comprise a finger having a split base portion projecting from one end of the body and a jaw head directed laterally of and toward the body axis such that the jaw heads are grouped together, collet fashion, in spaced apart relation. The collet jaws are shaped to integrally connect together the body segments for reducing the diameter of the body for application purposes, and the jaws are formed for snap fit mounting of the connector in a knock-out opening of the box, they being arranged to be sprung apart to accept and pass the end of a cable being thrust through the connector for reception in the box. The jaws act to be drawn together and set against the cable when the cable is subject to movement tendencies outwardly of the box, to hold the cable end within the box, and without requiring clamps or crimping devices in connection therewith.

I claim: 
     
       1. A connector for connecting non-metallic sheathed cable to electrical boxes in a knock-out opening thereof, said connector comprising: an annular body formed from a resiliently flexible material,   said body defining a ring shaped portion at one end of same and a collet comprising a plurality of opposed resilient jaws in spaced apart relation about the axis of said body at the other end of same,   said jaws each comprising a finger having a base connected to said body ring shaped portion and a jaw head directed laterally of and toward said axis,   with said jaw heads being disposed substantially transversely of said axis and converging toward said axis in a substantially common plane that is disposed normally of said axis, with said jaw heads being similarly spaced from said body ring shaped portion thereabout,   said jaw heads defining outer sides facing away from said body ring shaped portion and inner sides facing said body ring shaped portion,   said jaw heads at their respective terminal end portions each defining a blunt cable gripping edge, with said edges being directed toward said axis in confronting relation therewith in closely spaced relation thereabout,   said jaw heads being oriented and spaced about said axis to be cammed away from said axis, when one end of either oval or round non-metallic sheathed cable is passed through and body ring portion and is thrust against said inner sides of same, at random positioning about said axis, to separate said jaws and pass the cable therebetween with said jaw gripping edges disposed in sliding relation to and being resiliently biased against the cable, and draw said jaws, by way of the frictional engagement of their gripping edges with the cable, toward said axis into indented collet type gripping relation with such cable on movement of the cable end in the opposite direction,   said fingers at their said outer sides defining means for snap fit mounting of said body in the box knock-out opening between said ends of said body adjacent said finger bases, with said inner sides of said jaw heads facing outwardly of the box and said heads disposed within the box,   whereby the cable end may be inserted into and through the connector by pressing the cable end against the jaw head inner sides to cam the jaws apart for sliding the cable therebetween, said jaws resiliently seat against the cable, and said jaws oppose withdrawal of same from the connector by being closed against the cable on tendencies of same to move outwardly of the box.   
     
     
       2. The connector set forth in claim 1 wherein: said defining means of said fingers comprises said fingers having on their outer sides a circumferential recess, with said recesses of the respective fingers being adjacent said body ring shaped portion and aligned in a common plane extending transversely of said axis to define in said connector a circumferential seat adapted to receive the margin of the box wall defining the box knock-out opening,   said seat being spaced from said jaw heads axially of said body,   said defining means of said fingers further comprising said fingers each having on their said outer sides a cam surfacing interposed between the jaw head and said recess thereof whereby said fingers may be cammed toward each other by the box wall margin on pressing said finger outer side cam surfacings into the box knock-out opening from the outer side of the box wall to seat the box wall margin in said connector seat for seating the connector in the box knock-out opening.   
     
     
       3. The connector set forth in claim 2 wherein: said body ring shaped portion is segmented for contraction thereof on camming of said fingers to seat the box wall margin in said seat.   
     
     
       4. The connector set forth in claim 3 wherein: said body ring shaped portion segments and said fingers are consecutively integrally connected about the circumference of said connector.   
     
     
       5. The connector set forth in claim 4 wherein: said connector body is of one piece construction and is formed from a self lubricating dielectric, non-metallic material.   
     
     
       6. The connector set forth in claim 2 wherein: said gripping edges are curvilinear about said axis of said body as a center.   
     
     
       7. A connector for connecting non-metallic sheathed cable to electrical boxes in a knock-out opening thereof, said connector comprising: an annular body formed from a resiliently flexible material, which body being concentric about the central axis of said body,   said body defining a ring shaped portion at one end of same and a collet comprising two pairs of opposed resilient jaws at the other end of same of which the jaws of each pair of jaws are in opposed spaced apart relation about said axis forming a collet for receiving the cable,   said jaws each comprising a finger having a base portion projecting from one end of said body ring shaped portion, axially of said body, and a jaw head directed laterally of and toward said axis,   with said jaw heads being disposed in substantially coplanar, confronting relation in a plane extending transversely of said axis and being similarly spaced from said body ring shaped portion one end thereabout,   said jaw heads being spaced apart circumferentially of said body,   said jaw heads defining outer sides facing away from said body ring shaped portion and inner sides facing said body ring shaped portion,   with said jaw head inner sides being concavely curvilinear along a common interior surface of revolution that is centered on said axis and said jaw head outer sides being concavely curvilinear along a common external surface of revolution that is centered on said axis,   with the jaw heads each defining a blunt gripping edge that is centered on the jaw head, with said edges being directed toward said axis in confronting relation therewith in closely spaced relation thereabout, and being intermediate said surfaces of revolution,   said jaws and their said gripping edges being oriented and spaced about said axis to be cammed away therefrom when one end of oval cable or cable of round transverse cross-sectional configuration is passed through said body ring portion and is thrust against said jaw head inner sides, at random positioning about said axis, to separate said jaws and pass the cable therebetween with said jaw gripping edges disposed in sliding relation to and being resiliently biased against the cable, and draw said jaws, by way of the frictional engagement of their gripping edges with the cable, toward said axis into indented collet type gripping relation with such cable on movement of the cable end in the opposite direction,   said fingers each having on their outer side a circumferential recess, with said recesses of the respective fingers being adjacent said body ring shaped portion and aligned in a common plane extending transversely of said axis to define in said connector a circumferential seat adapted to receive the margin of the box wall defining the box knock-out opening,   said heat being spaced from said jaw heads axially of said body,   said fingers each further having on their outer sides a cam surfacing interposed between the jaw head and said recess thereof whereby said fingers may be cammed toward each other by the box wall margin on pressing said finger outer side cam surfacings into the box knock-out opening from the outer side of the box wall to seat the box wall margin in said connector seat and thus seat the connector in the box knock-out opening,   whereby the cable end may be inserted into the box through the connector, with random positioning about said axis, by thrusting the cable end against the inner sides of said jaw heads, and said jaws resiliently seat against the cable end and slidably pass same therebetween, and said jaw heads are oriented to be drawn against said cable end, by said gripping edges thereof indenting into the cable, on tendencies of the cable end to be moved outwardly of the box.   
     
     
       8. The connector set forth in claim 7 wherein: said body ring portion is segmented for contraction thereof on camming of said fingers toward said axis to seat the box wall margin in said seat.   
     
     
       9. The connector set forth in claim 8 wherein: said body ring portion segments and said fingers are alternately integrally connected about the circumference of said connector.